Obertauern, Austria

Essential Advice for the Perfect Trip

When snow-cover is light elsewhere in Austria, this high-altitude ski area has virtually guaranteed conditions. Its position on a mountain pass in the Niedere Tauern mountain range, 90km south of Salzburg, attracts a favourable microclimate. Radstadt railway station is 20km away.

Until local ski enthusiasts ‘colonized’ the pass in the early 1930s the only building was Hotel Tauernpasshöhe. During the intervening decades a straggle of hotels and bars has sprung up along the roadside to give Obertauern more of an American ski resort atmosphere. ‘I recommend the resort for families, intermediates and beginners looking for an all-round fun holiday – but probably not for experts,’ said a reader.

Obertauern is Austria’s only resort where you can ski to and from the door of most of its hotels. The main skiing areas has 26 lifts around the Tauernrunde bowl region – all of which are interconnected without the need for a ski bus. There’s an excellent snow record, and a good variety of terrain – including everything from nursery slopes to some tricky black runs.

Obertauern has some lively nightspots and has been famous for its apres-ski ever since the Beatles made part of their film Help here in 1965.

We Love	We Hate
The purpose-built style of resort, which is unusual for Austria The convenient snow-sure skiing. The wide range of beginner and intermediate skiing. The fact that this is a good all-round family destination. The late-season skiing.	The lack of activities for non-skiers. The fact that it isn’t an atmospheric little Austrian village

1. 

   
   Guide to the Mountain
2. 

   
   Where to Stay
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   Where to Eat
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   Where to Learn
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   Where to Party